Spartan Hyperion (Riding Jacket) – Reviewed

Choosing a riding jacket might be a tricky job . A few years back it wasn’t much complicated as we had very limited choice and it was a pretty simple task to get it. But now we have a lot of options, so choosing one is a tough task.

But the options available is not the only problem. There are several other issues to be looked into. Let me explain it from what all I learned on how to choose the right jacket, experiences from my previous mistakes, various re-search sessions on the internet, interaction with experts and many stuff like that. There may be several points I missed or some that may be incorrect, do feel free to point them out and the changes will be made for sure.

The riding jacket is mainly meant for protecting you from abrasion and broken bones in the event of a crash , apart from its numerous other uses which includes looking super cool, keeping you warm, protection from wind and stuff like that. So the main 2 parts we have to be careful about is the Grade/level of the armor present in it and the abrasion resistance level of the material used to make the jacket(Mesh/Cordura/Perforated leather/Leather).

Armor:

It is always advised to have CE approved rated body armor in your jacket. Preferably elbow , shoulder and back protectors. In the Indian market mostly we see jackets that come with elbow and shoulder armor and just a foam pad for the back protector which is a major let down. So a detailed check of the armor rating of the jacket you wish to get is a must. If it has up-gradable options for back and chest protection all the better, but that does increase the price point of the jacket. Each kind of jacket has different level of protection , so being aware of which jacket offers what protection is of at-most importance.

Material:

Well, from a riding jacket an important part we need is the abrasion protection, which will save our skin form road rash in the event of a fall and the long kiss with the asphalt. So for this we need good abrasion protection, now the jackets have different materials used for its build. So this is the order of abrasion resistance as compared with the materials used, Mesh<Cordura<Perforated Leather<Leather. Where mesh providing the least resistance and Leather providing the most resistance to abrasion. So a mesh jacket when dragging about the road may melt and burn the skin and cause road rash, then again we have different grade of mesh used, a low grade one would melt while the higher grade ones will hold on strong. Now another important thing that influences this is the weather condition you have at your place, read about it below , So plan accordingly.

Weather :

Another important part is weather condition of the place you live in or most probably will ride in. As much as we need protection,we don’t want to either be cooked in the jacket or be frozen either. So choosing the jacket for the weather is also important. I live in the southern most part of India, where it get really humid for most part of the year and heavy rains for the remainder months. So the best suited one here is a mesh jacket, as the cordura/textile jacket itself will cook me up in this searing heat and humid condition, so leather is out of the question.

Fit :

Well, the sizing of a riding jacket is also a big part. Ideally when worn, the riding jacket must fit tightly, as a second skin. The most important part in this is the placement of the armor, the armor areas like the elbow and shoulder should be seated perfectly and there must not be much free-play of the armor, it shouldn’t be over tight too. Just in a way that it stays where it’s supposed to be, so that in the event of a crash the armor won’t slip off , which if it does, nullifies the use of the armor in the first place. So before buying a jacket, try it on and get the right size that suits you.

Brand:

Always get a jacket which has a lot of reviews or which you know for sure is a tried and tested product. R&D goes a long way in getting the right product into the market. When it comes to safety, don’t be a Guinea pig and test it for others, instead read others experience in events of crash and how good the jacket held up and plan accordingly. A good brand with a decent amount of R&D may cost a bit more but rest assured, it is worth that cost.

So these are the things that I considered before I made my purchase. I had already made a wrong purchase with my first set of riding gear. It was a rookie mistake. I overlooked almost all points I mentioned here, and needless to say I couldn’t use it and had to sell it off.

So, now let’s get to business, This is a review of the newly introduced Riding jacket from Spartan Progear team based in Chennai, The Spartan Hyperion.

Lets get a quick tour of the technical stuff before staying focused on the main points on how it perform’s and answers the question a rider would have in his mind when considering a product. Now , getting to point let’s compare it with the points I have given above, in that way it will be clutter free and easily understandable to everyone, and followed by the real world ride report.

1. Armor :
The Hyperion had Knox level 1 elbow and shoulder armor.The most important and impressive part here is that , the armor is very light weight and very flexible yet very strong, once you wear the jacket it almost feels as if there is no armor at all, and that is a really good point as there won’t be any uncomfortable feeling while wearing the jacket. Moreover Knox also being one of the best companies in the world manufacturing Armor/ protective gear for motorcyclists.For more information read here. It has a back foam protector, though foam is not all that good in terms of protection the foam padding which is also CE rated on the Hyperion is much thicker than the other jackets can offer. So comparatively it’s a good thing. Hyperion comes with the option of upgrading the back armor with Knox back protector which will cost you a few more bucks , but in every sense it will be worth it.So all in all we have a very good package when it comes to protection, that it will give the rider a piece of mind while riding.

The elbow arom(top) and shoulder armor(bottom)

Elbow armor

Shoulder armor

Now how well does it compare with it’s competitors – Alpinestar TGP-air ,Spartan Helios,Spartan Hyperion,Cramster Breezer Among the mentioned the Hyperion and Helios has the same armor, so nothing to compare there, now comparing with the Alpinestars , the Alpinestars armor is a new concept called the bio-armor which is super light and flexible yet, much more impact absorbing abilities than the conventional armors based on foam like in the breezer. So clearly it is a battle between the Alpinestars armor and Knox which comes standard in Spartan jackets. Note: The product we reviewed here is without the Knox back protector, so once we get our hands on it , we will be posting the review of that too, so it can be helpful for people who are considering buying it. As of now, the Knox armor is available to only customers who already own a spartan jacket or for those who choose to purchase the jacket with the Knox back armor upgrade within.

2.Weather Compatibility : Owing to the humid and hot weather conditions for most time around the year, the Hyperion fits the bill by being a mesh jacket which has superior level of abrasion protection. So as to speak the Hyperion is a summer riding jacket, but it has the feature to add additional liners depending on the weather conditions, essentially making it an all weather jacket with the option of optimizing the jacket based on the weather and user preference. The Hyperion comes with a detachable rain liner as standard, which can be zipped or unzipped with the help of YKK zippers. The thermal liners are a add on and has to be purchased separately if needed.

Jacket front view

Comparing with its competitors the Alpinestars had no liners for rain or wind, which makes it a strictly summer time riding jacket,a letdown considering the price point. The helios having the same features as the Hyperion, and the breezer has a rain liner and thermal liner as standard.

3.Construction: The Hyperion is made from a mixture of high quality mesh + cordura fabric + Perforated leather. As explained above this is the perfect combination of protection one needs in the event of a fall. The upper torso area is constructed using perforated leather which gives superior abrasion protection at the same time being perforated the leather is breathable.The rest of the area is a combination of mesh and cordura fabric at impact points to give superior abrasion resistance.

Perforated leather on upper torso.

Cordura material for impact areas

Back Foam protection

Comparing with its competitors the Alpinestar, Helios and Breezer are all completely mesh jackets, which puts the Hyperion at a major advantage.

4.Fit :
The Hyperion when chosen the correct size , it fits exceptionally well, there is no play in the armor position, the jacket feels light, and you don’t feel the armor when it’s worn and that is a very comfortable feature. more on fitting and feel is explained as you read along.

Waist adjustment straps

Elbow strap adjustment

Wrist strap adjustment

Now that we have covered all the technical ground. Let’s get to the real ride review. The first test with this jacket was a 300+kms ride , which started in the morning and rode continuously through the hot blazing sun till about 4pm. So It had been ridden in a variety of typical south Indian humid conditions. And I must say that it performed exceptionally well.

The jacket is very light, you won’t feel the weight of the armor and extra padding at all. The jacket fit’s fine and snug which is very important. A part where improvement can be done is the arm adjustment strap above the elbow, it is a velcro setup and a bit more velcro strap would have helped in a more personalized setting, but easy adjustments can be made to get it the way you want by adding a velcro strip or by just reducing the length of the strap.

5.Weather Performance

Well, it is still technically a mesh jacket, so the air flow is a given fact. The designers have done enough R&D , which is proved by the amount of air flow one gets in this jacket, despite the fact of the amount of perforated leather and cordura fabric used in the construction of the jacket. The amount of air flow is just overwhelming, even in stop go traffic or standstill , I never sweated, not unless I was standstill for over 4-5 minutes. And since I am the kind of person that sweats a lot and easily this has proved to be a great product for me.

Rain liner

Rain Liner

That takes care of the summer time performance of the jacket, Now over the few months i even tested it in the rainy and cold conditions, form the slight to moderate drizzles to the full on monsoon rains that we get here in the south. And here is how it performed. For moderate to heavy drizzles , I used the jacket without its rain liner and surprisingly I did not get wet at all, when you are moving you will not get wet, but when you are immobile, water starts to seep in through the mesh panels. The conclusions were reached upon after 40-50 kms riding in moderate to heavy drizzle. Now for heavy downpour , the rain liner was used, and was tested for a distance of about 160-180 kms during a recent ride to munnar, and the rain liner held good in keeping me dry for the first half of the journey(with varying intensity of rain), that is it held good for about 80-85 kms after which water started to seep in through the neck area and my dress inside started to get wet. Now this is some exceptional figures for a mesh jacket with just a add on rain liner. So I can definitely conclude that the Hyperion can definitely be used even during the rainy season, for a few short distances(40-50 kms) without getting wet when using the rain liners.

The jacket is very much suited for daily use, looks great , but not too flashy, can be easily folded and fits into a backpack quite nicely, it’s not bulky when worn, goes with any kind of dressing and overall a great product.

I have had no complains for the few thousand kms I have used it. So if you are in search of a mesh jacket with optimum air flow and protection , this particular one stands out in all respect with the thoughtfulness that has gone in to create the product and the relevance of its features in the weather conditions we encounter in India.

So, I finally conclude the review of the Spartan Hyperion Riding jacket, Don’t forget to leave a comment/query below and we will be sure to get back to you. Also do rate the review and share it with your fellow riders, so it could be of help to them or others.

Yours truly

Lastly, How to get it, Spartan only has a few outlets as of yet, so your best bet would be to get it from Chennai via courier, but if you are from Kerala, then you are at luck,DJ helmets,Cochin have an exclusive collection of all the gears provided by the Spartan range at a good price range, they are the only official distributors for Kerala too. Contacting DJ helmets will give you a better idea. Click here for more details.

P.S : If you are unable to find reviews for a particular product , and wish to get a review,of the same.Then do write to us at : wheelsnshields@gmail.com , and we will respond to you and try to arrange a full blown review of the same.

54 responses to “Spartan Hyperion (Riding Jacket) – Reviewed”

Hai Marsh.
You could visit their retail outlets. They are there in multiple places, will be hard for me to tell without specifying from where you are.
But then you can always order online.! They are pretty darn fast in processing and delivery..!!

fantastic review bro ,, had been looking for reviews on Hyperion from its launch , this fits my quest ,, will grab it this saturday for sure
fortunately i stay pretty close to their retail showroom in chennai ECR

The hyperion is a premium version of helios with the added protection on the upper torso and hip area. So helios is also pretty much the same. But since I haven’t tried it or ridden in it I can’t comment with certainty. I wouldn’t suggest the LS2 jacket. It’s very new to the market and haven’t read any reviews and it is more of a textile jacket than a mesh from the pics I have seen. CE rating alone does not count, the level of standard of the ce rating should be checked, and also weight of the whole jacket , you must check if it is comfortable for you to carry around or walk around in. Many factors. Try both the jacket and check it out. You will have a clear answer for sure.

Hi Krishna, great review. was planning to buy the LS2 jacket in Ahmedbad, but after reading your blog am thinking of buying the hyperion, but there are no retailers selling it in ahmedabad. Am planning a ladakh trip on the 11th june and need to buy fast. any suggestions on their website?

Hey krishna.
I own the R15 Version 2 50th anniversary GP edition(Limited Edition) which is a white bike with red racing stripes on it.
I am currently planning to buy my first riding mesh jacket and gloves.
I live in vijayawada – Andhra Pradesh,which gets very hot during the summer and quite cold during the winter.And the downpour during the monsoon is quite heavy too.
I basically wanted a jacket which would have more or less the same color combination of my bike.And,I started considering a few as my options.I too am just like you in terms of body conditions (sweating,feeling humid etc).And i also started researching through various jackets with the same kind of thinking and sensibility as u have,keeping in mind the same 4 points of choosing a jacket which u have mentioned above,and just adding an extra 5th point of good looks and color combination.
So,i went through the following –

Well,i first compared the spartan Helios and Rynox stealth as both of them looked promising.I spoke to both the companies regarding complete info of the jackets.The spartan ones are unbelievably good for that price range.I have already done a hands on review of the Helios of a friend of mine & I’m very impressed.I then considered the DSG rage.The Rage looks good but i haven’t seen it on hand or any online reviews about it.The Rage has Ce approved protectors but are basic ones when compared to the Knox armor provided by Spartan.And i have also heard that DSG now has reduced the quality of their jackets and gloves a little bit,so they don’t last as long as the previously released models did.So,I have removed DSG from my options.

Then,I chose the Rynox Stealth.I had spoken to the creator of the jacket and he said that its an all weather jacket with 6 strategically placed air vent zippers for maximum air flow.It can be termed as the “Most Vented” textile mesh jacket.
When i compared the Stealth and the Helios –

LOOKS –
Rynox Stealth looks better than the Spartan’s.Its got an awesome color combination of red,white and black,whereas the spartan has only red and black,where black being on the maximum Area.

FEEL –
The Helios feels heavy when held in hand,but after worn,its light and very comfortable.
Didn’t get to feel the Rynox till now,so cant comment on it.

PROTECTION –
Spartan provides CE EN 1621-1 TYPE A Knox Armors.Knox is a U.K Based brand & are one of the best in the world in armor designing and manufacturing.So,it assures you of premium Armor and superior safety.They provide flexifoam protectors for the shoulders and elbows and the back protector is made of composite foam material,which are usually provided in DSG jackets,but they are CE EN approved.

Now,the Rynox stealth jacket provides the same grade of CE EN 1621-1 TYPE A armors which are Rynox branded.They give it at the shoulders and elbows,but here is the bonus part – when all the brands including spartan give only a foam back protector,Rynox give s a back protector of the same standard too.So,it assures total safety of out back and spine when compared to spartan or other brands.

VENTILATION –
Rynox Stealth –
Well,as per their claims – they have placed 6 air vent zippers on the jacket strategically to allow max air inflow and outflow for max ventilation. and they have stitched the a part of the chest and abdomen area with mesh layer on the front and the same layer on the upper back as well,so,the mesh allows decent air flow,not as much as the Helios or Hyperion.

I asked them – Why not make it a full mesh jacket??
And their reply was – If a jacket is a full mesh,the mesh lining is a breathable lining which might allow max air into the jacket,but when the rider crashes,its the mesh that gets torn,burnt and destroyed easily depending on the brute force of the crash and the friction of the slide on the tarmac.
So,making a full mesh jacket is not very much safe.(That’s what they said)
Q)Then what about ventilation??
A)Well,to match with the full mesh ones interns of ventilation,we have placed 6 air vent zippers strategically at the right places so that max air scoops in and out of the jacket,keeping the rider cool and sweat free at max times.Even the pockets on the other surface are vented as they are made out of mesh lining.

Spartan –
The spartan jackets are full mesh and they allow good amounts of air inside the jacket.I was impressed with the ventilation when i wore the Helios and did a short ride in the city.So,personally,i know how it is and how it feels to wear a spartan. 🙂

I was there fore confused what to choose from,the Rynox or the Spartan??
Spartan gives Knox armors which is like a peace of mind when it comes to safety,but the Rynox provides a thicker CE approved back protector as well,where as the Spartan gives the usual foam back pad,but its thicker than other existing/successful brands and its CE approved.

Rynox,i cant be sure of the air vents and comfort of the jackets as per the brand’s claims,And plus,its Rynox’s entry level jacket.Now they are planning to launch a full mesh jacket like the spartan’s.
So,whats new is not always the best,intact,it might have a few downsides.
But the spartans have been in the market for a very long time now,and i have seen many bikers wearing the Helios and a few wearing the Hyperion.But they all have smiles on their faces and and peace in their eyes,which shows their satisfaction.

And,i have a bit of experience with the spartan as i have seen,worn and tested it personally,which is no where in the case of Rynox.

So,finally,with no further thinking,i ditched the idea of the Rynox,as they are new and have no online or market reviews yet.
Wen i spoke to their retailers and distributors,they said it will be late this year for the brand to get well rooted in the market like Spartan,and a long time to be like the Dsg and Cramster. So far,sales have been decent and no customer has returned with a complaint yet.

So,i zeroed in on the Helios,i wanted one in red,but it din have lots of red on its surface.its got a bit of red on its forearms,like from the wrist till the elbows only.So,it wont go much well with my bike and wont make me stand out from other bikers.
So,i had selected the Hyperion and the first review i saw,was of yours.And i was floored 😀
I have decided to take it as its got more or less the same features of the Helios,but its about 1200 bucks more than it.
I guess its because of the leather layer on the shoulders and chest part,where as the Helios has the same double layer cordura and kevlar. And the color part – its got the right balance of red and black to suit my requirements.

Now,i have a simple question for you my friend –
since you live in a city which is extremely humid and the monsoons bring loads of moisture,i know that your jacket has a rain liner to protect you.but what about the jacket??
Whats gonna protect it from the rain.
The only thing stopping me now from taking the Hyperion is the leather layer on the jacket.Wont that get spoiled and start giving out an unpleasant smell when exposed to moisture?? and God forbid – drenched in rain??
What will you do if it gets destroyed?? and what will i do if i find it in the same way?? (since the monsoons are approaching fast).

Now,I’m stuck.Cant take the Helios due to lack of Red,and cant go ahead an take the Hyperion due to the leather. :

Please suggest me what to do and move forward with a good jacket.
Hoping you will. 🙂
Regards.

Wow..!! You have done quite a bit of research. I really admire that. So you have covered most points, but missed a few, and i shall name it here , so helping you take a decision.

1)Spartan Helios 2)Spartan Hyperion 2)Rynox Stealth 4)DSG Rage 5)Komine Mesh
These are your choices
You opted out DSG, that’s a very good call. The jacket is ok to view, but the armor on the rage is very flimsy , which is a huge letdown, considering the price range the helios has armor must better than that and even a more better build quality too( I have seen and felt both jackets) and regarding the quality of DSG products, it’s true, they have decreased.

Next Komine Mesh, I have absolutely no first hand experience with that brand. So i shall not comment on that.

Then comes Spartan and Rynox.
You are dealing with two different types of jackets here, let me make this simple. The rynox is a Textile jacket and spartan(helios and hyperion) mesh jacket and one with perforated leather.
So basically one is too restricted in air flow and other is too open in air flow. Now let’s assume the vents in the rynox are placed and working as good as they say it is, it will not be as good as a mesh jacket, it just wont, they themselves have said most airflow in “textile ” jackets. That make it clear. And more over in stop go traffic you will sweat and sweat a lot if its a textile , no matter where all the vents are places, the vents are only good as long as you are riding in 30kmph or above. Now the thing is the textile will give superior water resistance and protection form cold in the winter, but then a mesh wont give that, but that’s where the Hyperion comes in from my experience the Hyperion can provide you even that with just the rain liner(no need for winter liner, which you have to pay extra to get)
So overall the Hyperion serves as a all weather jacket, while the rynox being a textile is not an all-weather jacket, don’t take the companies word on that, especially since you sweat a lot and the climate is pretty humid there, monsoons are just 3-4 months affair, after which its humid most of the time, so i guess you can see the better option there.

I tested the hyperion in rainy (both showers and full on kerala monsoon rain) for a 300kms ride last weekend.
And the hyperion was a clear winner. In moderate to heavy showers , i rode continuously for 30-35 kms without the rain liner and i was still dry, completely. I was amazed, trust me, i din’t expect that.and on the return jouney, it was raining down pretty much full power, i had the rain liner on and for the first 30-35kms or so , i was dry, then on the water started seeping in through the neck area, which happens in any jacket, be it a textile, or leather , mesh. You cant avoid that, and that is the only way i got wet in that complete journey, so the water-resistance of the hyperion is just as good as they claim to be.

So now lets get to the armor part, yes, what you have said is right, the hyperion has fully knox armor which are one of the best in the game in armors, so i have a great relief when i am riding, cause i know i am safe. About the back protector, Hyperion has an option for upgrading the back armor too, for extra bucks ofcourse. but that too is knox level armor so , you can have that complete package. Meanwhile i don’t know how good the rynox armor is , so i can’t comment on that.
And regarding the mesh and textile abrasion resistance, it is correct, mesh tents to melt or burn when dragged along the road on high speeds, I did research on that part too. So in sense the textile is a better option when it comes to abrasion resistance, but the hyperion has a combination of high quality mesh and cordura fabric treatment, which means the mesh wont melt in such a case as it has higher resistance before it wears out. Check the level of abrasion resistance and you will find it both same for rynox and hyperion. Check the product description for clarifying that of both.

And now coming to the leather part on the hyperion. It is a treated perforated leather , which makes it breathable leather, so you wont feel as uncomfortable as conventional leather. And moreover, the abrasion protection property of leather is unmatched for in as compared to that of mesh or textile. And the leather strip is on the shoulder areas which are more impact prone in the event of a fall. So that’s an extra mark for the hyperion. Then now the water and leather part, yes water and leather are not a good combination, but after long exposure to water, the leather may become stiff and rough or even crack if left unattended. But it can be avoided by just rubbing the leather with olive oil or leather treatment solution after it has been dried in shade. and the leather is as good as new, moreover since in this case it is a leather which is treated and perforated, it has more resistance towards water and is more easily taken care off. So that takes care of even that problem.

So to sum it up,
The hyperion, for summers , a purely mesh jacket with ample cooling , and in event of a crash has high grade armor on impact areas, mesh+cordura on the elbow and kidey area(has extra padding) and leather for the shoulder areas for improved abrasion protection, and none of this affects the air flow, even in stop go traffic it is comfortable , and you can even walk around in it the for a 20 min or so before you start sweating. And during rain, in moderate showers, there is no need of the rain liner if you are on the move. The jacket will keep you warm. In heavy rains, the rain liner can keep you warm upto a certain distance(30kms) of moving traffic, will be lesser in stop go traffic, the water will ooze down your neck and you will get wet, same case for textile jackets too. And the rain liner should suffice even in the winter time too. It is a good quality liner that they provide.

Rynox, on the other hand, is a textile jacekt, you will sweat after some time wearing it, the vents may work while moving , but even a 1 min pause can make you sweat, i have owned a textile jacekt (DSG Triton) which has 4 vents and it din’t really turn out good for me. Also the rynox is a serious touring jacket. So its more concentrated for keeping you warm and dry that cool.And the rynox does not have the upper hand when it comes to armor. Not that theirs is bad, but Spartan has knox and that is definitely more re-assuring. Moreover the rynox is a new product, so , you have lesser reviews too. But that is not a deal breaker , so by the time you have reached here, i am sure you would have got a answer to your question.

Hey,thank you for your reply 🙂
That was quick 😀
well,i agree with your DSG review.They now are more into making money and profits as they have been well rooted in this country as they were the first to bring in riding gears and apparels in.
But,they have seriously forgot one thing,quality always has upper hand for any product to survive and sell in the market for a long time.Now that most of the bikers in our country have realized that the new gen range of products are low on quality and life,they will definitely not put their hard earned money to a dump and purchase them.
so,DSG now is out of the question.

About the komine brand,well,here is the info –

The company was founded in Taito (Tokyo) by Komine Shunsuke in the 1940’s. It started as a trading company involved in shipping bicycle parts and tyre tubes and later went on to become a general agency for F-type bicycle Auxiliary engine kits called the ‘Red Cub’. This change was prompted by a request from Fujisawa Takeo, Co-Founder of Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Sales began to take off and this marked the ‘age of motorcycling’ in Japan.

In 1960’s the Company was named Komine Auto Center and its goal was to produce high quality products and to save lives as in those early years many lives were lost in traffic accidents due to inadequate protection to the rider. Thus, Komine began to produce high quality helmets which passed the official approval of the American Snell Foundation in 1967 and also won high praise in the International exports to the United States, England and Australia.

The 1980’s saw a large boom in Japan’s motorcycling industry which lead to higher speeds and thus, higher the need for safety. Komine supported and learned from professional riders early on to produce riding gear highly liked and recommended by many riders and the demand continued to increase that at one point of time there were 25 Komine brand stores across Japan.

So,when other american top notch brands like Alpinestars,Joe Rocket etc were just in their initial stages of gear designing and manufacturing,Komine the Japanese brand had already take japan and its motorcycling as well as sports scene with a storm 😀

They started way way before A*’s and are seriously better than them in all aspects!Their build quality,fit and finish,performance of textile and especially mesh(for max airflow),durability of the mesh and fabrics on the jackets,and most importantly – the protective Armor, all of these are way ahead than that of Alpinestars or any other american brand.And plus,they are very very low and competitively priced.
An entry level Alpinestars mesh jacket i.e the TGP Air (on planetdsg.com) which comes as a mesh jacket with A’stars branded shoulder and elbow armor(med of flexifoam – which looks and feels like rubber but isint,just like the knox in your jacket) and a normal thick foam back protector,has a good price tag of 8500INR and plus shipping of about 300 bucks(here and there).
And u will get the same,in fact a better fitting,looking and high performance mesh with the same features in KOMINE for and MRP of 7500INR(shipping excluded),and sisnce now they are on discount,you will get them at 6000INR 😀 !!
So,Komine is better than A’stars.Not to forget,India’s popular superbiking community THE GODS – Group Of Delhi Superbikers are tied up with the brands distributors in Delhi and most of the members use KOMINE full body suit including Gp gloves and boots 😀 and a few use the mesh jackets and pants bought seperately.

And then after Komine came other brands like RS Taichi,Teknic Etc etc.Which now states that the Japs are undoubtedly better than the Americans in motorcycling.An obvious proof is the dominance of their motorcycle brands dominating the world 😀

so,anyways,lets get to the Rynox and Spartan.
Your words –

“Then comes Spartan and Rynox.
You are dealing with two different types of jackets here, let me make this simple. The rynox is a Textile jacket and spartan(helios and hyperion) mesh jacket and one with perforated leather.”

-I AGREE. 🙂

“So basically one is too restricted in air flow and other is too open in air flow. Now let’s assume the vents in the rynox are placed and working as good as they say it is, it will not be as good as a mesh jacket, it just wont, they themselves have said most airflow in “textile ” jackets. That make it clear. And more over in stop go traffic you will sweat and sweat a lot if its a textile , no matter where all the vents are places, the vents are only good as long as you are riding in 30kmph or above. Now the thing is the textile will give superior water resistance and protection form cold in the winter, but then a mesh wont give that”

– RIGHT.I just forgot that the Rynox has been termed as the “Most Vented Textile Jacket”.this jacket comes into a different league.Its not a full mesh,its basically a textile which has been made better by placing 6 air vents smartly to allow max air flow when compared to other “TEXTILE JACKETS”.so,it wont perform as better as a full mesh one does.
In stop and go traffic,i will sweat.i agree as my friend in his Helios also sweats in the same situations.So,i can imagine the sweating in the Rynox. It will be DOUBLE 😛 .so,yes,the vents will only work at and above 30kmph. And it does give superior protection from cold and heavy downpour.

“but that’s where the Hyperion comes in from my experience the Hyperion can provide you even that with just the rain liner(no need for winter liner, which you have to pay extra to get)
So overall the Hyperion serves as a all weather jacket, while the rynox being a textile is not an all-weather jacket”

– well,have heard from a few users and from Rynox’s creator of the same when it comes to a rain liner also serving as a wind proof,warm alternative 🙂 yes,have to pay extra to get a warm insulated thermal liner. Hyperion serving as an all weather,well,din know that 🙂
wont consider the brand’s word,and yes,spartan sounds better.

“I tested the hyperion in rainy (both showers and full on kerala monsoon rain) for a 300kms ride last weekend.
And the hyperion was a clear winner. In moderate to heavy showers , i rode continuously for 30-35 kms without the rain liner and i was still dry, completely. I was amazed, trust me, i din’t expect that.and on the return jouney, it was raining down pretty much full power, i had the rain liner on and for the first 30-35kms or so , i was dry, then on the water started seeping in through the neck area, which happens in any jacket, be it a textile, or leather , mesh. You cant avoid that, and that is the only way i got wet in that complete journey, so the water-resistance of the hyperion is just as good as they claim to be.”

– Din ever know that Spartans can withstand such long distances in mid-heavy showers.For full thrust of hydration,yes,rain liner is a must.And yeah,the water does tend to sweep in from the neck region.Happens in most of the jackets,be it riding or casual ones.Except the touring jackets i guess.Hyperion is slowly sounding more promising from your words 😀

“About the back protector, Hyperion has an option for upgrading the back armor too, for extra bucks ofcourse. but that too is knox level armor so , you can have that complete package. Meanwhile i don’t know how good the rynox armor is , so i can’t comment on that.”

– well,yeah,all the Spartans have the option for back upgrades by paying an extra 1800 bucks.when paid,its full on satisfaction and peace of our spine being under safe guard.
And Rynox,like i said,it gives the same kind of armor as the Knox and of the same material and a certified back protector too.But the armor is manufactured by the jacket manufacturer in their list of makers in other countries,which Im sure includes china and pakistan too 😀 Its obvious as DSG are made there at a huge scale.
Where as Knox is made by the brand itself which is a complete assurance and like a promise of safety.
The only difference is spartan gives a stock foam back pad which is CE EN certified,and Rynox gives a complete back protector of the same standard – which caters to their brand image and business proposition.

“but the hyperion has a combination of high quality mesh and cordura fabric treatment, which means the mesh wont melt in such a case as it has higher resistance before it wears out.”

– Yes.this a very good strategy for providing optimum protection.
And as for the description of both the jackets,have checked.

For the leather,yes,leather provides max protection when compared to cordura or textile and mesh.Its perforated meaning is made for ventilation as well – i can see the small air holes on the leather surface,and its got the same mesh layer beneath it.so,leather allows air to scoop in and the mesh underneath does its work best.

” after long exposure to water, the leather may become stiff and rough or even crack if left unattended. But it can be avoided by just rubbing the leather with olive oil or leather treatment solution after it has been dried in shade. and the leather is as good as new, moreover since in this case it is a leather which is treated and perforated, it has more resistance towards water and is more easily taken care off. So that takes care of even that problem.”

Yes,had the experience of leather being stiff and cracked due to sweat and water on my leather wallet.At that time,i din know how to protect it from getting destroyed.so,i bid a farewell to it a while ago.
I spoke to Spartan guys today morning and asked the same doubt,they said the same – “get a leather protector and conditioner from any shoe shop/showroom like BATA or anything,and use it to protect the leather layer”.Din know that olive oil works well too 🙂
I Din know the process,so,u have give it briefly.Could u please explain it a little more elaborately?? please??

“event of a crash has high grade armor on impact areas, mesh+cordura on the elbow and kidey area(has extra padding) and leather for the shoulder areas for improved abrasion protection, and none of this affects the air flow, even in stop go traffic it is comfortable , and you can even walk around in it the for a 20 min or so before you start sweating”

High grade armor protection – YES! mesh+cordura on elbow – YES! so,more protection like the Helios.And the kidney part here has extra padding which is absent on the Helios.So,the Abs and kidney area are safe! Well,walking around in 20 mins,din try that with the Helios,but im sure,it will be the same as u said 🙂

During moderate showers,no need of the rain liner and still be dry – Din know that.
yeah,during stop and go traffic,water does ooze in through the neck.
yes,its a good quality liner as i have seen the Helios one,and it does keep warm in winter(As said by my friend,you and a few other users.Not to forget,the Rynox guys)

“the vents may work while moving , but even a 1 min pause can make you sweat, i have owned a textile jacekt (DSG Triton) which has 4 vents and it din’t really turn out good for me.”

– yeah,the vents work,but will make me sweat like u said.RIGHT ON !
Now,the DSG Triton is a serious touring jacket.Its made for touring purposes only.Its got 4 vents,but Rynox has 6.The thing the vents not working is that,DSG R&D team is a little weak in designing and positioning the vents at the right places,so,they always lack the functioning completely,They don’t give the 100% what a rider/tourer looks for in a touring gear.So,the Rynox department has done research and placed them at the right places so they give better flow than the DSG’s. (ALL STATED BY THE BRAND OWNERS AND DESIGNERS.AND SERIOUSLY,IM NOT BACKING THEM UP AT ALL )

“Also the rynox is a serious touring jacket. So its more concentrated for keeping you warm and dry that cool.And the rynox does not have the upper hand when it comes to armor. Not that theirs is bad, but Spartan has knox and that is definitely more re-assuring”

well,it does not look as a touring jacket.it looks like an all purpose jacket.But,i think it will work well while serious touring as the rider will be on the highways,SPEEDING and will have less reasons to stop,so he/she might have more ventilation than us riding in mixed city and highway locations.

yeah,Rynox is a new product and no reviews at all,which is disappointing. 😦 And yes,no upper hand in armor as the KNOX has 🙂

IF THERE IS SOME ONE WHO OWNS THE RYNOX STEALTH AND READING THIS CONVERSATION,PLEASE PRESENT US WITH AN IN DEPTH REVIEW OF THE THING.THIS WILL REALLY HELP NEW RIDERS LIKE US IN SELECTING THE RIGHT THING.

So,Im gonna book the Spartan Now,I know ill get the one without the Knox back protector,but if i want it,ill take the helios and pay extra 1800INR . Or,get the Hyperion and save money to get the back protector after a while.
And please do get back with the process of applying the leather protection solution so that i can keep that in mind and follow it 🙂

And im sorry for making this conversation so long,i will take some of your time to read,but it think at the end,its important to have a clear cut to cut talk about any kind of topic/issue to have proper understanding and knowledge,which makes presenting opinions,ideas and honest words as well as receiving them easier.
It thus results in proper judgement and decision making simpler for newbies like me.
Thank You so much for your time 🙂
I honestly Appreciate it 🙂

No problem at all mate, I too think that every person investing their money into something , they must know what they are buying or getting into. That is the main reason I am posting my reviews on the internet, if it at-least helps one person, it just makes my purpose a success. So no worries , no matter how long the replies are, I will take time and read and reply in the necessary way.

So, now that you have got all that figured out, let me get to the olive oil part.
The main thing is ,after the leather part has been exposed to water for long time, dry it under a fan or in a shady area, do not put it under the sun, a blow drier with mild intensity will also do. After it has been completely dried, apply small amounts of olive oil onto the leather area and rub it nice and smooth into the leather, use little amount of oil and cover the entire area of leather and voila you have the leather as good as new. This tip was provided to me by my dear friend who uses this method to protect his Cramster TR2G gloves from rain rides he has often, so i can be sure that it is a working alternative, but if you can get the leather conditioner , then it’s all the better.

Now that you are in position to make a purchase, its all done and sealed. Hope you have a great buying experience,

Hey,Thank you so much for your reply 🙂
Ok,so now,im ready to purchase my jacket.And im even ready to protect it from getting spoiled.Thanks to you 🙂
But,despite of the olive oil application,do u know how to use the leather protector/conditioner??

And,you just mentioned about the Cramster TRG2 full gauntlet racing gloves rite??Well,im gonna purchase a pair of gloves along with my jacket,so,could u please provide me with the review of the available full gauntlet gloves like the TRG2,the DSG primal etc…… which ever ones you and your friends are using.But,it should be a full cuff gloves as nothing beats them in terms of providing max protection to the hands and wrist during a crash.So,gonna use it on highways and for a bit of out of the city touring.
I have zeroed in the Spartan ARES and Rynox Kombat gloves.
I have seen the features of the gloves and im impressed with both of them as both offer amazing specs with competitive prices.
The only thing im concerned about is the ventilation as full cuff gloves provide less ventilation when compared to half ones. That’s the reson why they are mostly used on track for racing.
I cant see the air vents on the spartan ARES and since the guys at the company said its for track use only,i don’t think it will provide any airflow.
Where as the Rynox Kombat has air vents on three of its main fingers and its got a little bit of mesh on its surface too.So,it must provide decent airflow.
Both of the gloves are very impressive with the specs and looks.cant comment of quality as i haven’t bought them yet 😉
Just started considering the cramster TRG2 today.Its a bit old model and the color combo of white and grey wont suit my bike,obviously 😛
But,its got the same air vents on the fingers as the Kombat.
I have seen some threads where users have mentioned its low in quality and life.Even DSG is better than it.
So,if you or your friends have & are using such full gauntlet pair of any brand,be it DSG,cramster,spartan etc etc,please do provide a bit of review,so that i can select the best and get my deal done 🙂

My first gloves were the TR2G and I don’t know why cramster is in this wrong light, but it performed very well during the time i had it, never sweated in it, the ventilation was there a bit, there are ventilation holes on the fingers. And the palm area has a little extra padding so it is quite good in that respect too, but I changed it because the size i bought was one size too big, and my friend is using it now and he is pretty happy with it.
And I don’t know anyone else who is using a full gauntlet here, I am using a half gauntlet gloves from Spartan, the pegasus.

I was wondering how to find out the most suitable riding Jacket and I found all the answers in this page! 🙂 I had considering Helios but now that Hyperion has its own advantages I will check it out.
Thanks a lot both of you

And i forgot to mention in the previous conversation about the Rynox Stealth,that its got a mesh layer on the upper chest(only on the pecs) and on the upper back(just below the neck line till the mid back).They have placed the mesh layer to allow a bit of air flow on the chest and out flow from the back.
you can check it out here –

In the above link,just look at the photos and you will see a short layer of mesh –
Front – At the neck line where the Velcro strap reading STEALTH is present,u can see a mesh layer till the mid chest which has a red textile layer with zippers on both Left and right.and then where the red textile ends,u can see a short layer of mesh till the mid abdomen region.

Back -you can see the same at the back below the neck line,till the red region with rynox written on it,and again at the mid back region till the red zipper outlet vents on both left and right.

so,its got a bit of mesh which would allow airflow into the jacket.But as we discussed above,since majority of the jacket is made of textile,its still counted as a textile jacket,and can not offer as much air flow as a full mesh one does.
As for safety is concerned,a jacket be it mesh or textile,is worn as a precaution of protection when crashed.
But why crash in the first place?? crashing or not depends on our riding skills.
A rider should be skilled enough to tackle any road and climatic conditions,and use his/her ride control and braking skills to avoid or at least minimize the occurrences of a fall during the course.
And when the rider crashes,the jacket is there as a measure to protect him/her from slight cuts/bruises to medium wounds and blood shed.
But no matter how good the protection it provides,it cannot protect from fractures or even worse injuries.
Once crashed,the jacket has taken the impact,if its safe with minute shreds,it can be worn for one more round.But if its damaged to an extent of holes and tears,it has done its duty and can now be laid to rest – get a new one 😀 !
I hope you got what i tried to express 🙂

Hai Rohan.
Yes, you are right about the eclipse. It does comes with a lot of features, on paper it looks equally as good as i think it’s in the same price range too.
Now since I haven’t used a eclipse jacket it wouldn’t be fair for me to comment on its practicality when compared to Hyperion.
But I MUST say this, the kind of armor superiority and the attention to detail that is found on the hyperion simply won’t match that on the eclipse.Those 2 points are kinda the deal maker/breaker points when it comes to selecting a riding jacket.

Now in the mesh department or waterproofing department i have absolutely no idea how they would perform. Sorry to disappoint you there.

But when you think of it, I haven’t seen many eclipse jackets around for quite some time now. So it’s hard to compare, I think for performance of eclipse you would have to track down an owner, get his review and compare to this review and make a decision.

Guy’s your conversation regarding the riding gears were really helpful. thanx a lot. I am planning to get a riding jacket and a gloves for touring. I have zero’d down helios orange and hyperion black. I have a duke so i thought getting a helios would be better but after the advantages of the hyperion I am satisfied with that as well. How is the hyperion on the advantage side of the helios?? I need some clarifications of the helios, does it comes with the rain lining? because in the official site it has mentioned it has been excluded. If it is the cases how much i have to pay for the lining??? please help me out with it. please suggest me with a good gloves that i can wear for touring and i live in the hill station would be travelling in the missed condition of humid and cold please suggest.

Hai dominic…the helios and hyperion are essentially the same barring the perforated leather part..ofcourse a namesake kidney padding is there for hyperion.but its nothing to brag about.
The helios and hyperion perform the same for that matter.
And as far as i am aware the rain liners are std..it is the winter liner which has to be ordered seprately. Not awarebif any changes has been done in that.
And for touring..a full gauntlet gloves would be good..you have many companies like spartan..a*..dsg for those.do check them out..rynox is what i would suggest…good quality and nice price too…have a look in theor site

As mentioned in the review. It costs about Rs9900/- as per the DSG website, excluding courior charges if you are buying online. If not , please find the nearest dealer who trades with Alpinestar apparel.

Guys M planning to go for a long ride next week… I went on tp spartan to get the jacket but stock was not available… i was informed that i have to wait for 2 weeks… But i am in need of a jacket.. M eyeing towards cramster breezer 4.0… does anyone has any knowledge about the jacket how does it perform and its armor quality… Need help…

I would suggest not to make a impulsive purchase. Instead wait for tye stocks to arive and get the better jacket. Or you could borrow from a friend for the ride in hand.
Breezer is a good product..but outdated. The armor quality is not as good as the ones used in spartan .not the quality of the mesh too.

Hey Krishna,
First of all, your review was simply awesome. I was unaware of Spartan jackets and was thinking of getting an Alpinestar but after reading your review, I’ve pretty much made up my mind. I live in haripad ( Alappuzha) and it would be convenient for me to purchase it from the store at Cochin. Just one doubt, since this review is almost 2 years old, I’m a little concerned whether there are any better options presently available in the market at the same price range. It would be really helpful if you could give your suggestion on that.
Eagerly waiting for your reply.
Thanks in advance
Rajesh

Hai Rajesh.
Hyperion has a few updates done and price has been hiked too.
You can find a post of helios vs hyperion written recently in this website itself. I have explained the new changes made.
So for other options you have helios , rynox and a new model from dsg. I would suggest to stay away from zeus in our weather.
Rynox has about 2 new mesh jackets in market. Same with dsg.

But in terms of features and protectors used in the jackets, alpinestar and spartan are leading here. Of which i strongly feel spartan is more bang for buck.

Rjays I am not sure, we have a Rjays swift review done here, and after 2 years of use the armor seemed to give way(it started cracking and breaking off) which isn’t something we want in a riding jacket.
Now coming to good air circulation both Helios and Hyperion does well in that part.
And choosing between Hyperion and Helios is just about how serious you are about protection , the Hyperion has a lot more protection in terms of abrasion protection, with the perforated leathers that is used. Apart from that it is almost the same,
Read this link where i have explained the diff between the 2http://wheelsnshields.com/riding-gears/jackets/spartan-hyperion-vs-spartan-helios/

As far as rainy conditions goes, for light rainfalls the rain liners provided is more than enough.

So to sum it up, depending on your outlook towards safety and of course your budget, you can make a wise choice between the 2.